S4 Navarra. S4 Nafarroa

What the S4 is

The S4 is the agenda of regional economic
transformation to become a reference
region in Europe in sustainable and digital
economy committed with people and
territory

Qués es la S4
Especialización Inteligente

From S3, smart specialization strategy…

Smart Specialization Strategies are a model for economic development that involves concentrating resources in the economic areas in which each region has significant competitive advantages. The strategy takes into account the economic and scientific-technological potential of the region, and the evolution of demand.

…to the S4, for sustainability

In the period 2021-2027, Navarra has decided to opt for sustainability as the key to economic transformation. With the S4, Navarra orientates its technological and industrial capabilities towards the search for environmentally and human-responsible solutions.

Governance

  • The S4 governance model creates spaces for the participation of the so-called quadruple helix of regional development: economics-production, knowledge (education and higher research), public administration, and civil society, in the different phases of design, implementation, and evaluation.

  • The S4 governance is structured into five main working bodies: Steering Committee, Public Coordination Committee, Strategic Platform, S4 Challenge Teams, and Technical Coordination Team, as follows:

Regional diagnosis

  • The strategy has been updated in 2021 as a result of a previous diagnosis, defining the challenges of the region through an open participative process.

  • The diagnosis measured the evolution of comparative competitiveness, scientific, technological and commercial specialization, and the evolution of business sectors over the period 2014-2019. It ended with a participatory SWOT analysis.

  • A “traffic light” is provided, showing the position of Navarra among the 218 European regions, the 16 reference regions and the 17 Spanish Self-Governing Regions, as well as the evolution over the period (climbing or falling places).

Factors in competitiveness

Conditions and resources that affect the productivity of the territory, capable of improving the context and the company’s activity capacities. The S4 strategy structures them into five elements: 

Entorno competitivo
Competitive
environment
Personas y talento
People
and talent
i+D+i
R+D+i
Desarrollo empresarial
Business
development
Internacionalización
Internacionalization

In the diagnostic phase, an analysis of weaknesses and strengths was carried out in the five factors of competitiveness and a series of recommendations that guide the definition of the strategy.

The plans launched by the Regional Government of Navarra

set out the strategies and actions necessary to improve the regional environment and to support business activity, in line with the objectives of S4. The main plans are:

  • Science, Technology, and Innovation Plan 2021-2024
  • Navarra’s Industrialisation Plan 2021-2025
  • Digital Navarra Strategy 2030
  • Entrepreneurship Plan 2021-2024
  • Comprehensive Social Economy Plan 2021-2024
  • Navarra International Plan (PIN4) 2021-2022
  • External Action Plan 2021-2024
Planes Gobierno de Navarra

Other cross-sectorial plans developed to reinforce the priorities:

01Navarra’s Rural Development Plan 2021-2027
02Tourism Plan 2018-2025
03Horizon 2030 Energy Plan
04Comprehensive Personalised Medicine Strategy